Evil Comes Desguised
by angelkisses87
Summary: Sam's life is about to change. And this change will not only effect him, but the people who care about him most.
1. Chapter 1

**Evil Comes Disguised**

Theme: Drama, Angst, Supernatural 

**Rating: M+**

**Disclaimers: I don't own Supernatural or its characters. Maggie is my own original character. Lola is a character created by Bubblegum Thai.**

**Chapter One: **

"Thank you." Lola smiled as a well-dressed waiter pulled out a dark mahogany chair out from the table for her. She smoothed down the flowing skirt of her red dress as she sat down on the ivory velvet seat. The young man, dressed in a black shirt and tie handed her a long laminated menu before handing another two Dean, who took the menu from him as he removed the white napkin from the shining china plate before placing it on his lap.

"Just raise a hand when you're ready to order." The young waiter said with a smile before leaving the table for the bar at the far end of the restaurant.

"Quick question." Lola began, leaning in closer to Dean, her arms folded on the edge of the small round table for two, "Why did you bring me to a posh restaurant and tell me to get dressed up if you're going to wear jeans?"

"They're my best jeans and top?"

"You wore that top on a hunt last week." She replied with one eyebrow raised,

"Hey…its clean." Dean answered in defense,

"Okay." Lola chuckled. Dropping her gaze to the shiny red menu, "Why did you choose this place anyway…I thought you didn't like fancy food?"

"I don't…but I do happen to know that they serve a delicious steak burger."

Lola raised her eyes to the ceiling before holding up a hand for the waiter to return for their order,

"What can I get for you madam?" The floppy haired waiter asked, holding a small notebook and pencil in his hand,

"I'll have the pasta and a large white wine please." Lola replied, handing her menu over,

"And you sir?" The tall young man enquired, relieving the auburn haired woman of her menu, tucking it under his arm,

"I'll have the burger and a beer please." He answered simply, holding out his menu,

"Would you like fries with that?"

Lola tried desperately to stifle a laugh at the waiter's smart-alec remark,

"Just the burger thanks sparky." Dean replied, his tone dead pan, giving an un-amused smirk, the young waiter took the menu, which was now thrust into his hand before walking away with a satisfied smirk.

"So…are you going to tell me why I'm here…or are we going to talk about your wardrobe all night?" Lola asked, resting her chin on her hands, her fingers intertwined and elbows leaning on the table,

"I just wanted to say sorry." Dean replied, his eyes fixed on the polished silver cutlery that sat lined up in a row before him,

"Sorry?" Lola echoed, taken slightly aback by Dean's honesty,

"Yeah, I was kind of a jerk the last time I saw you." He admitted,

"No I wouldn't say that…although you did basically dump me and abandon me at my brothers." Lola replied, one eyebrow raised,

"Yeah." Dean muttered sheepishly, unable to look the red headed beauty in the eye,

"But I know why you did it." She added, lowering her head to catch Dean's gaze, "Just try to remember that I am a hunter, if I can make it on my own for so many years, I'm sure I can survive hanging around with the Winchesters." She smiled reassuringly at Dean, who finally met her gaze, smiling weakly back,

"Deal."

Just then, the cocky adolescent waiter returned with two large dishes balanced on each hand, one he placed in front of Lola, smiling sweetly, the other he set before Dean, "Do you want any sauces sir?"

"Do you wanna take a hike sparky?"

An with that the cocky waiter left the table,

"Well that guy just cut his tip in half." Dean grumbled, taking a sip of his beer, Lola simply shook her head and rolled her eyes despairingly.

"No he's out with Lola." Sam poured himself a glass of orange juice, holding the carton of Tropicana in one hand, and the other holding his sliver cell phone to his ear,

"Yeah he called her yesterday and made a reservation at this fancy restaurant…trying to clear the air I think."

"It's about time." Maggie spoke over the line, "I swear it will be snow in August before Dean admits how he feels about her."

Sam laughed at his sisters frank observation as he looked around the lonely hotel room for a waste bin, but with no success tossed the empty carton back into the tiny fridge, pushing it shut with his foot. He moved over to the twin bed he had assigned as his and pushed the glass tumbler onto the bedside cabinet as he sat down on the edge of the mattress, "So…how are you and Matt getting on?"

"We're okay, he just went out to get a takeaway."

"Oh nice."

"Yeah…but I that was fifteen minutes ago and I said I'd have the table set by the time he got back so."

"Ah…I'll let you go then." Sam replied smiling mischievously,

"Yeah…I'll call you tomorrow, say hi to Lola and Dean for me."

"Will do." He agreed before hanging up the phone, before reaching for his glass, taking a sip of the cool beverage then returning it to the cabinet top. With a sigh of boredom, fed up with being in the quiet hotel on his own, Sam rose to his feet to turn on the TV, But as he did so, his vision suddenly became blurred, and become increasingly unsteady he fell back onto the bed,

He shook his head, trying to shake off the hazy feeling, rubbing at his eyes trying to focus. With a grunt, he stood up, staying still for a few seconds to steady himself before walking over to the bathroom,

He tuned on the cold tap with shaking hands, cupping them together then splashing the cool water on his face, He lifted his head up to the mirror and was disturbed by the pale white man looking back at him a cold sweat soaking the back of his neck,

Suddenly Sam felt a sharp excruciating pain piercing his head, As he held a hand up to his forehead the pain subsided, but it came back just as quick and even more intense. He let out a cry in pain as he clutched onto the ceramic basin for balance as he turned, making a b-line for the bed in the other room. But before he could move even an inch, everything grew dark and Sam came crashing to the floor, the side of his head meeting the corner of the bath with a sickening thud. He slumped to the floor in an unconscious heap, his legs outstretched, one arm pinned under his chest and the other lay limply by his side. A flash of lighting lit the room, highlighting a trickle of bright red blood, creeping down from his nose, the reflection of heavy raindrops falling down the window, danced across his still body.

"The waiter was not hitting on me." Lola exclaimed with a laugh as she stumbled through the hotel door,

"Oh please that guy was all over you."

"He was a kid Dean!"

"Well that kid was lucky I didn't report him to the mnger…" Dean slurred, throwing his keys across the room, aiming for the table but upon missing his target, he swatted a hand in defeat.

"Well you have nothing to worry about." Lola moved slowly towards Dean, pulling off his black jacket seductively, "I've only got eyes for you."

"Lola."

"Yes Dean." She replied, pulling him in closer,

"I think I'm going to hurl."

"Go…bathroom…now!" Lola pushed the pasty-faced hunter back, pointing to the room behind him.

An ellibriated Dean turned on his heals, making for the bathroom. After mistaking the wall for the door, he pushed it open and what he saw sobered him up almost immediately, "SAM!" He exclaimed, falling to his knees beside his brother, shaking him and lifting up his head in an attempt to rouse him. "Lola call an ambulance!" Dean shouted, seeing the bloodstain under Sam's nose,

Lola darted to the bathroom to see what was the emergency, "Oh my god." She exclaimed before running to her black leather handbag, tipping its contents onto the bed in a desperate search for her phone. Dean propped his brother's head on his jean-clad knees, looking his body up and down to check for more signs of bleeding, "Hang on Sammy." He soothed, "Hang on."

Where the hell is the doctor?" Dean growled as he paced up and down Sam's hospital room,

"He said it could be at least a couple of hours before they get the test results back." Lola tried to reassure, gently grabbing hold of Dean's arm as he walked past her, "Sit down." She said sternly, more of an order than a request. Reluctantly Dean sat down in a harsh plastic chair next to Lola beside Sam's bed, looking at his brother who lay before him. Dressed in a crisp white cotton t-shirt covered by a light green sheet and cream coloured blanket, both pulled halfway up the young man's torso. He would have seemed almost peaceful, if it weren't for the large purple bruise on the side of his now protruding forehead, his swollen eyebrow covered with a square bandage, held on with surgical tape, a small red stain of blood seeping through the white material.

"I just wish someone would tell us what the hell is going on." Dean sighed, rubbing at his tired eyes,

"I'm going to get some coffee." Lola said quietly, placing a hand softly on his shoulder as she stood up before walking round behind her chair, making for the door. Just at that moment, Dean noticed Sam's fingers twitch, making him sit up right with hope, in the next moment Sam slowly lifted his hand but with a grunt of discomfort let it fall before finally raising it to his face as he opened his eyes.

"Sammy." Dean smiled with relief, Lola spun round, darting back to the room upon hearing her friend's quiet voice,

"Dean?" Sam croaked, liking his dry cracked lips, looking at his brother with hazy eyes, "What happened?"

"We were kind of hoping you could tell us." The elder brother replied,

Sam closed his eyes tightly for a few seconds, frowning in discomfort as he tried to focus, "I was…" He began, clearing his throat, "…I was in the bathroom and…felt this…intense headache."

"I'll go and get the doctor." Lola informed the boys before leaving the room,

"Can I have some water." Sam rasped, his mouth dry and sore as he swallowed,

"You must have blacked out." Dean said, pouring a small cup of water from a clear plastic jug before handing it to his brother, "We found you on the floor when we got back from the restaurant."

Sam nodded in reply as he took a sip of the ice-cold water, "…how did that go anyway?"

"It was great, Lola got hit on by a waiter that I don't think had even hit puberty yet." Dean answered sarcastically as he returned to his seat, Sam chuckled at his brother's comment but ended up sounding a wheezing cough but still he smiled through the pain, amused by Dean's lack of tact.

"Samuel Winchester." A deep but kind voice spoke from the doorway,

"That's me." Sam replied smiling weakly, Dean tuned round in his seat to see a large built man, dressed in a long white coat over a light blue shirt and smart black trousers, enter the room, a thin yellow folder tucked under his arm. Lola followed in after the doctor, sitting back in her chair next to Dean.

"How are you feeling?" The bearded doctor asked, pressing buttons and fiddling with wires attached to the beeping heart monitor,

"Okay I guess, aside from the headache." Sam replied, "So…what's wrong with me doc?"

This question made the gentle faced man stop in his tracks, turning to the expectant faces that before him, "I've just got the test results of your CT scan back and have conferred with my colleagues in the neurological department…we're all in agreement with the diagnosis."

"Which is?" Dean prompted,

"I'm afraid there is a malignant tumor situated on the left part of your brain."

The room fell silent, Sam and Lola kept their eyes on the doctor, listening tentatively to every word, Dean however looked away in disbelief as the doctor continued his diagnosis,

"Now the tumor is surrounded by nerve tissue making it too dangerous to remove."

"So you cant do surgery?" Lola asked,

"No, the risk is too high to go into surgery, so much so that there would be a very small percentage of success."

"How small?" Dean added, almost begging the doctor to reconsider.

"About three percent." The doctor stated, sadly but firmly,

"How long have I got?" Sam asked with a sigh, swallowing hard,

"Five months, six at most." The middle aged man said shifting his weight from one foot to the other, "Now you'll need to stay in for a couple of days while we run more tests, and I will be prescribing you some medication to make you comfortable."

"Okay then." Sam smiled in acceptance, nodding slowly, taking in all the information that seemed to be flying at him. This was too much for Dean, unable to understand how his brother could be so accepting of his fate, so readily. Slamming a fist down on the bed, he jumped up from his chair, with such haste that it fell back, before kicking it out of the way as he stormed out of the room, leaving the others stunned by his outburst.

"I'll go after him." Lola offered with a sigh, "You be alright Sam?" She asked, pausing by the door before turning on her heels to chase after Dean.

"I'm very sorry Mister Winchester, I wish there was more I could do." The smartly dressed doctor made his way to the door with a heavy sigh,

"Thanks doc" Sam smiled weakly, now left alone in the lonely hospital room, left to fathom through the doctor's diagnosis, left to try and comprehend what was going to happen to him.

Lola stepped out unto the corridor, looking down the long narrow space to see Dean storming down the hallway, then stopping in his tracks, spinning round to walk the other way, the stopping one more time leaning against the wall before hitting it with his fist. With a sigh, Lola quickened her pace to catch up with him, With a frown, breathing heavily, Dean turned on his heals again only this time when he spun round he was faced with Lola who stood in front of him, a look of concern on her face. Expecting her to begin a speech to reassure him that everything was okay and in turn failing, Dean stopped her before she had a chance to speak, "I should call Maggie." He announced, pulling his cell from the back pocket of his jeans,

"Alright…just breathe okay." Lola said with a sympathetic smile, Dean looked back with a withering smile as he put the phone to his ear,

"Maggie…yeah hi its Dean…" He began, but was interrupted by his sister's excited rambling, "Ma…Maggie just shut up for a second would you…" Dean raised his voice, the conversation being hard enough that he wanted to get it over with, Lola threw him a look, telling him to calm down as he continued his call, rubbing at his forehead soothingly, "I need you to get down to St Luis, Sam's sick and has been taken into hospital."

"Why what's wrong with him?" Maggie asked with worry in her voice over the line,

"He…he has a brain tumor."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

Dean lent against the light blue painted wall outside Sam's room, Lola, now finally changed out of her best dress and back in the comfort of her jeans and long sleeve black top, stepped away from the small coffee dispenser which sat a little way away from the room, two small plastic cups of steaming hot beverage in her hands. "Here you go." She held out one of the beige coloured cups, taking a sip from the other before taking up a spot next to Dean, "Doctors said that Sam can get out of here tomorrow, that's good new right…get him back home with us." Lola said with a smile, trying to lift the mood, but Dean simply stared forwards at the adjacent wall, taking a drink of his coffee. "Hey, we're gonna get through this." She added confidently, her sapphire blue's looking into his olive green orbs,

"Dean!" A voice called from down the hall, Maggie raced up to her brother, slowing down, as she got closer, "Hey…how is he?" She asked with a worried frown,

"Well he's dealing with it better than I am." Dean replied truthfully,

Maggie smiled weakly before turning to her friend, "Hey Lola…sorry, I'm not ignoring you it's just." She said with a sigh,

"It's fine, no need to apologies." The auburn haired hunter smiled, giving her good friend a hug.

"So…how long do the doctors say he's got?" Maggie asked the dreaded question, a question that no one wanted to answer; Dean licked his lips and smiled bitterly, still in a state of denial, "Five months." He said finally,

"Well that's good, five months to figure out a way to help him." Maggie smiled with a small hint of hope and relief,

"Maggie…" Dean whispered,

"We could go through Dad's journal, look through his contacts." The youngest sibling continued,

"Maggie stop." Dean begged, his voice raised with emotion,

"What do you mean stop? This is Sam we're talking about."

"You don't think I know that." The youngest sister and older brother looked at each other with exasperated, emotional looks, Lola watched on in awkward silence, saddened by the state her friends were in.

"I'm sorry Dean." Maggie shook her head in despair, "It's just…its Sam…y'know."

She wrapped her arms around him tightly, pulling him into a hug,

"I know." Dean spoke softly, resting his chin on Maggie's head, his eyes welling with tears.

"Okay, you all set?" Lola asked, hauling Sam's over-night bag onto her shoulder,

"Yeah I think so." He replied, happy to be getting out of the hospital, he stood up from the edge of the bed, still a little shaky, he took it slowly out of the room and down the hall, his entourage of concerned siblings and close friend following closely behind him. They stopped half way at the nurses' station, ready to check out,

"Okay Mister Winchester, here is the prescription for your medication." A young female nurse spoke sweetly form behind the desk, flicking her long brown hair over one shoulder as she handed a printed piece of paper to Sam, "The dosage will be written on the box and they should last you at least six months."

"More than enough then." Sam said with a smile, trying to be brave about the whole situation, The petite nurse smiled weekly, having seen that smile given by so many patients in Sam's condition, it was a smile that said on the outside I'm dealing, but on the inside I'm an emotional mess. This was exactly how Sam was feeling, as he walked down the concrete steps outside the hospital. What was happening was scaring the hell out of him, but he had to stay strong, for Maggie, for Dean.

These thoughts stayed with him the whole journey back to the hotel. As Sam stepped out of the Impala, he felt like the whole world was on his shoulders, or could that have simply been the exhaustion of the day. It shocked him how tired he felt as he fell onto the small single bed, his head sinking into the soft goose down pillow. He could quite easily fall asleep if it weren't for the dozens of questions, whirring around in his mind,

"Hey Sam, I was thinking I might share a room with Lola tonight, if you don't mind." Dean said, tapping lightly the toe of his brother's boot. Sam opened his eyes and looked up at Lola then back at Dean, "Oh really?" He teased with a mischievous smile, "Aw come on man its not like that." Dean protested with a frown, Lola stifled a laugh, judging by the look on the older hunter's face that he was in fact not in his usual flirtatious mood,

"Alright sorry, it's fine." Sam replied, apologetically, hoisting himself up on the bed so that his back was leaning against the wall, "Me and Maggie can have some brother sister time, huh Mags'."

"Sounds like a plan." A small voice spoke from the bed next to his, her head buried in her black canvas bag,

"Maggie what are you doing?" Lola asked with a puzzled frown,

"What?" The twenty something snapped her head up, her sleek waves now looked like she had taken a brush to them backwards,

"What are you looking for?" Lola chuckled, seeing her friends flustered face,

"Oh, I had a camera in here that I have been taking pictures with…"

"That's usually what they're for." Dean said sarcastically, perching at the end of Sam's bed, pushing his feet out of the way, Maggie glared back with a mimicking grin before returning to the contents of the bag, which had now been spilled onto the twin bed,

"I've been taking photos of us and I wanted to get them developed when we go to the drug store tomorrow." She continued, thrusting the small pentax camera triumphantly into the air,

"When did you take photos?" Lola asked with a look of intrigue,

"You're not the only one that can work well with a lens my dear." Maggie replied, one eyebrow raised, Lola looked back with a knowing smile, knowing that her friend was referring to her previous modeling experience,

"Well…" Dean began, slapping his thighs as he rose from the bed, "I don't know about you guys but I'm about ready to hit the sack."

"What time is it?" Maggie mused, pulling back the long sleeve of her ribbed white cotton top, "Ten O'clock, sheeche…where does the day go." She observed with a sigh, scooping her things back into her bag before dumping onto the floor in front of the bedside cabinet.

"Night guys." Lola yawned as she left for the room next door,

"Night!" Sam called after her,

"Hey Sammy…" Dean started, pausing in the doorway, "If you need anything, just knock okay." He said seriously,

"I'll be fine, besides I've got Maggie to keep an eye on me." He reassured his brother with a tired smile,

"Okay…night Maggie." Dean replied, with a sigh of concern,

"Night Dean." She mumbled, her face buried deep in her pillow, already falling asleep, as the hotel door clicked shut.

Sam looked over at his sister, envious of her ability to fall asleep so easily, He reached over to the bedside lamp, pressing the thick black button attached to the main wire, With a sigh he closed his eyes, in hope for a peaceful nights sleep.

Maggie's hazel brown eyes slowly opened, the silver moonlight shone through the thin net curtains, the soft glow bouncing off her bare arms. With a groan, realizing that it was still in fact, night, she rolled over onto her side. She was about to drift back into slumber when she noticed that Sam was still sat upright in the bed next to hers, Stretching her arm out from under the pillow, Maggie flicked on the bedside light, "Sam?" What's the matter?" She whispered, squinting in the bright glow of the red shade,

"I was just thinking about Dean." He said quietly, flicking his dark brown fringe out of his tired eyes, staring at the dark green floral papered wall opposite him,

"What about him?" Maggie asked with a puzzled frown, sitting up right but keeping the duvet tucked around her torso, sheltering from the chill in the air,

"He gave up his life for me and it was all for nothing."

"What?"

"He made that damn deal to save my life…and now I'm going to die." Sam's voice quivered with emotion as he spoke, a feeling of self-loathing brewing up inside, "And pretty soon to die and ill will all have been for nothing."

"Sam that's not true." Maggie shuffled to the edge of the bed, her voice low but calm, "Sam look at me."

The brown haired hunter did so reluctantly, his eyes glazed with tears,

"No one knew that this was going to happen, but I'm damn sure that if Dean did know, he still would have made the deal, because I know that he would rather have five months than to have lost you right then and there." Maggie looked her brother in the eye, trying desperately to console him, "And besides, we are going to get you out of this…I mean you've still got twenty years of brother, sister stuff to catch up on." She smiled at Sam, who through the tears that glistened in rims of his red eyes, smiled back,

"Yeah…yeah you're probably right." He replied, lying back, resting his aching head on the pillow,

"Hell yeah I'm right." Maggie nodded with a grin, switching off the lamp. The room falling back into darkness, she let her false smile fade as a warm tear shone in the moonlight as she silently sobbed into the thick duvet. As much as she wanted to believe her own words, she couldn't help but feel a sense of defeat and fear, unable to see any way of helping him. He was her brother, her big brother who had been there for her through so much and she was loosing him.

As Dean turned the car into the road, he was greeted by a haud of cars and an ambulance parked outside the hotel they were staying in, A crowd of people littered the pavement being ushered back by paramedics,

Parking the Impala on the other side of the road, he pushed open his door before crossing the road and walking up to a woman standing amongst the spectators, "Hey do you know what's going on here?"

"Yeah, paramedics got a 911 call from a young girl saying that her brother had collapsed." The middle-aged woman replied, just as a stretcher was carried down the hotel steps, a black body bag lay on top, "He was dead before the paramedics got here." Just at that moment Dean spotted Maggie emerge from the building, her face was pale and drawn, eyes red and sore, He pushed through the crowds and ran to her, "Maggie where's Sam?" He asked, holding onto her arms,

"Where were you?" She spoke, her voice shaking,

"Where is Sam?" He asked again his voice raised,

"He's dead Dean!" Maggie yelled, fresh tears filling her eyes, "Where the hell were you, why didn't you answer your phone?" She asked, but Dean turned away and chased after the gurney that was about to be lifted onto the back of the ambulance, "Excuse me sir you need to get back." The tall man, dressed in a blue uniform, ordered, "No I need to see." Dean begged, his eyes fixed on the stretcher before him, "Sir." The man began again,

"He's my brother!" Dean yelled staring the medic in the eyes, He pushed away the paramedics and frantically unzipped the body bag, and his blood ran cold as he looked down at the pale body, wrapped in black plastic. Sam's cheeks, once filled with colour and life, were now a sickening blue, the only colour was the dark red blood running from his nose,

"He just collapsed." Maggie's soft voice spoke from behind him, "I tried to bring him back…I tried…" She croaked as tears fell down her cheeks,

"Why didn't you call me?" Dean said in almost a whisper, unable to take his eyes of his brother's still body, his eyes glazed with tears,

"I did…I called you Dean but it just went to voicemail every time." Maggie replied, hurt that he was getting mad at her,

"Do you think I wanted to go through that alone?" She continued in defence, "Dean."

"Dean."

"Dean."

Lola's soft voice pulled Dean out of his dream. He sat up with a start, breathing heavily, his forehead laced with beads of cold sweat. He looked around the room to the left then to the right, the auburn haired hunter looked back at him with look of concern as he pulled the covers, now damp with sweat, to the side, swinging his legs to the edge of the bed.

"Are you okay?" She asked, handing him a towel to mop his brow,

"Yeah just a bad dream that's all." Dean replied with a sigh, wiping at his forehead, the salty beads of water stinging his eyes,

"Must have been one hell of a bad dream, you looked pretty distressed." Lola sat down next to the pale twenty eight year old, his facial expression bearing the look of a little boy who had woken from a nightmare, Dean replied with a weak smile, trying to shake the mental image of Sam in the body bag, from his mind. Lola gently laid a hand on his brow, "You do feel a little hot." She observed, her oceanic blues looking into his olive greens with concern,

"I'm fine, probably just coming down with a cold or something." Dean pulled at the top of his black vest stop, still clinging to his hot chest and back, "Could be worse, I could have a brain tumor."

"Dean." Lola breathed, she was about to pull him into a comforting embrace, but he jumped up from the bed, grabbing a pair of jeans from the chair, which sat next to a small table under the window,

"We'd better get going, need to get Sammy's pills before we set off to Rode Island." Dean quickly changed the subject, not really knowing why he made the comment he had. He pulled a dark red t-shirt over his head, before fastening the clasp on his faded jeans,

With a sigh Lola rose from the bed, slipping on her black and white vans, She knew well enough by now that Dean would talk to her about he felt regarding Sam's current 'situation' when he was good and ready. Collecting up their bags and jackets, the two hunters exited their room, clicking the door shut behind them.

Dean turned the brass door handle, opening the door to Sam and Maggie's room, Lola following close behind as they pilled into the room,

"Morning." Lola beamed, spotting Maggie sitting atop the tiny kitchen counter at the far end of the room, tucking into her second slice of toast,

"Mornin." She mumbled, her cheeks filled with crisp bread,

"Where's Sam?" Lola asked, but her question was soon answered by the worrying sound of Sam coughing and retching from inside the bathroom. Dean cringed at the heart wrenching sound his younger brother was making,

"Sam…it's Lola…are you okay?" She asked, knocking softly on the door,

"Yeah." A muffled voice called just before the bathroom door opened, Sam stepped out, his eyes blood shot and watering,

"Are you sure?" Lola looked at her friend with a concerned frown, placing a hand gently on his shoulder,

"Yeah, the doctors said that nausea is a common side affect of the tumour." Sam replied, clearing his throat as he did so, "I guess I've gotta get used to it."

Maggie jumped down from her perch on the worktop, dusting the crumbs from her deep purple tank top, "We'd better go and get your meds."

"Right you are nurse Tyler." Sam nodded in agreement, giving his sister a smile as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder pulling her into a half hug, "We're going to need Mr Tulka's credit card." He added, turning to Dean, who stood in silence, his hands buried in his pockets,

"We'd better get going then." He said finally, turning on his heals and heading out the of the hotel, leaving the door wide open,

"God I hate this." Sam sighed, he's taking it harder than I am."

"He'll be okay." Lola soothed,

"I hope so, you remember what he did the last time I was in trouble." Sam pulled on his navy jacket, tucking his black leather wallet onto his back pocket.

Sharing worried looks, Maggie and Lola followed him out the door, pulling it shut behind them.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:**

A few hours later, Lola and Dean sat in the Impala outside the local drug store, waiting for Sam and Maggie while he picked up his medication, An evening chill had begun to fill the air, leaving with it a light grey sky, the light dimming as the sun set through the rooftops of the shops and terrace houses.

"How are you doing?" Lola asked, resting her arm across the top of the black leather seat, feet propped up on the dashboard,

"Fine." Dean said simply, his head lent back, eyes closed with fatigue, feeling the effects of his disturbed night,

"Liar." Lola replied with a smile, Dean rolled his head over to look at her smiling back weakly,

"I don't know Lola." He sighed, "If I could make another deal to get him out of this…I'd do it in a heart beat." Dean played with the steering wheel thoughtfully, drumming his thumbs gently on the leather covering, "But… I think Sam would kick my ass if I did that again."

"As would I." Lola joked, eyebrows raised, 'Besides, I think I've got a way to help Sam, without anyone making any sacrifices."

Dean looked back with a puzzled frown as she hovered over the seat, pulling an old faded piece of paper out from the back pocket of her jeans,

"It's the address of an old friend of mine." She said, handing the creased yellow note to Dean,

"Jerry Walters?" He read, with one eyebrow raised in question,

"He's a doctor, specializing in hoodoo." Lola replied, preparing herself for Dean's skeptical argument,

"A witch doctor?" He mused,

"He does have a medical license and a degree but if that works for you…" She replied, rolling her eyes in exasperation, "He's had quite a few people with tumors come to him over the years, and nearly everyone has come away cured."

"Nearly everyone?" Dean questioned,

"All Jerry can do is carry out the ritual, its up to the individual person to believe that they can be healed." Lola lowered her feet from the dashboard, looking at Dean seriously, "Look I understand that you find it hard when it comes to this stuff…"

"I'm willing to try anything right now." He said truthfully, watching Sam as he and Maggie emerged from the door of the pharmacists,

"Got everything?" Lola looked over her shoulder as Sam fell into the backseat,

"Yep." He replied, clutching a white paper bag, which rattled as he lent over to shut his door of the Impala,

"Man that guy looked thrilled to be at work." Maggie said sarcastically, sitting down in the seat next to Sam before closing her own door,

"Do you get your photos?" Lola asked her good friend, passing her the cup full of smoothie which Maggie had asked her to hold onto whilst she was in the shop,

"Sure did." She smiled, taking the brightly coloured beverage from her, "So…where to now?"

"Iowa." Dean answered simply, starting up the engine, Lola looked over at him, giving a knowing smile, as he turned the car into the road, the Impala's engine rumbling as it sped off down the street.

"So…why are we going to Iowa?" Maggie asked, her eyes fixed on her mobile phone as she tapped on the keys at lightning speed with one hand, the other still holding her half empty cup of strawberry smoothie,

"We're going to see and old friend of Lola's." Dean replied, flexing his fingers on the steering wheel,

"Oh awesome." Maggie said, her lips pursed around the thin straw, sucking loudly on the last dregs of the cold beverage,

Dean took in a deep breath, contemplating how he would word his explanation before deciding it best just to come out and say it, "He's a hoodoo doctor." Dean's eyes flicked up to the rear-view mirror, looking at Sam who sat back in disbelief,

"You've got to be kidding me." He scoffed, shaking his head,

"Turns out this guy has helped out a lot of people in your condition before…"

"My condition…I have a brain tumour Dean." Sam interrupted in a surly tone, the other passengers looked at him with puzzled expressions,

"Which is why we're going to ask for this guy's help." Dean replied, becoming irritated by his brother's tone,

"No." Sam said quietly,

"I'm sorry?"

"No Dean."

"Sam we're just trying to help." Lola began, but was cut off by the unusually angry twenty something, "Well I didn't ask for your help!"

"Sam!" Maggie scolded her voice raised, shocked by her bother's behavior,

"And why do you care so much anyway Lola? You're not family, this has nothing to do with you!"

"Because I'm your friend and I care about you…" She replied sternly,

"Oh really, well I didn't ask for you to care…"

"Hey that's enough!" Dean cut in, his voice raised into a shout,

"Yeah it is." Sam hissed, throwing his door open,

"Sam what the hell!" Maggie cried,

"Son of a…" Dean cursed as he threw the car into a lay-bye, tyres screeching to a halt. As soon as the Impala stopped, Sam pulled himself out of his seat, storming off along the side of the road. With a heavy sigh, Dean kicked his door open, chasing after his brother, Maggie and Lola remained in the car, dumbfounded by what they had just witnessed,

"What the hell is your problem?!" Dean called out, but to no reply, "SAM!"

The younger brother stopped in his tracks, and was about to yell back a retort, but a strong intense pain hit him behind the eyes, Loosing his balance he stumbled forwards, clutching at his forehead in agony,

"Sam?" Dean ran to his brother's side as he fell to his knees,

Looking up at his brother with bloodshot eyes, Sam swallowed hard as the pain subsided,

"Come on, get back in the car." Dean sighed, his face creased with concern as he pulled Sam to his feet, draping his arm over his shoulders before walking back to the Impala.

A few, long hours later, the foursome were still on the road, The Impala's bright headlights lighting up the dark road ahead, Dean shook his head vigorously, his eyes heavy with tiredness, winding the window down in an attempt to wake himself up. Lola shivered as she felt the cold air hit her bare shoulder, having her black hooded jumper fallen loosely halfway down her arm, She slowly opened her eyes, looking over at Dean who was struggling to focus on the road ahead,

"Hey…do you want me to drive?" She offered, Dean looked over at the sleepy female, who sat curled up next to him, then back to the road, "No thanks…there should be a motel coming up, I think we could all do with a nights rest." He smiled,

"Okay." Lola yawned,

Dean looked into the rear-view mirror, his sister day dreaming, her face lit by the moonlight dancing through the trees,

He then looked at Sam, rummaging around in the white paper bag containing his medication, "You okay Sammy?" He asked, his eyes looking down at the road ahead then back up at his brother, he furrowed his brow as Sam pulled a small bottle of clear liquid from the bag, undoing the cap and tipping it onto a white cloth, "Sam…what are you doing?" He asked again but his brother remained silent as he tucked the bottle between his legs.

Suddenly he lunged at Maggie, pressing the white cloth over her mouth, with a muffled cry, she tried frantically to pull his arm away, but his older brother was just too strong.

"Sam" what the..." Lola yelled, twisting round in her seat but she froze with shock as the longhaired hunter held a gun to her head, "Don't move." He warned, his tone low and stern

"Sam…" Dean began to scold his brother a frown of anger and shock lining his forehead,

"Just drive." Sam ordered, his eyes narrowed at him then at Lola before turning to Maggie, her arms fallen limply by her side. Satisfied that his sister was in fact unconscious he removed the cloth from her mouth, then without warning he clung onto Lola's jaw, the cloth soaked in chloraphorm smothering her airways. With a panic Dean lost control of the car for a second, its wheels skidding and swerving beneath him,

"Easy Dean, you don't want to kill us now do you?" Sam hissed, slowly moving his hand away from the now unconscious Lola, her cheeks reddened by his harsh grip, Dean looked strait ahead, confused and disturbed by his brother's actions, Sam shifted along the back seat so that he was behind Dean, he stretched out a long arm and griped onto the steering wheel, "Sweet dreams brother." Sam whispered, suddenly whipping his hand round to Dean's mouth, steadying the car with his free hand.

Dean tried desperately to regain control of the situation, but the over powering smell of the chemical that sat under his nose made every muscle in his body relax as darkness crept in from all sides.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:**

Sam wound the frayed rope tightly around Maggie's wrists, her head lulling back and forth as she regained consciousness. With a groan she looked around the room, taking in her surroundings. A small open fire was the only light to shine on the dank, abandoned house. The windows where brown with years of dust covering the glass and every other inch of the room. The floorboards were rotting and littered with pieces of old fifties style furniture, the floral pattern that once decorated a sofa which sat in the middle of the room was faded and threadbare. Wooden display cabinets were empty and damaged by time and the elements. Maggie's eyes finally dropped to look at the man who would be her captor just as he was tightening the last knot in her bindings,

"What have you done with my brother?" She rasped, her head pounding as looked at the tall person looming before her, convinced that he was not Sam,

"I'm right here." He replied simply,

"Oh really?" Maggie sighed, fidgeting in the hard wicker chair she had been tied to, her arms beginning to ache from being held down on the harsh wood,

"It's the truth…I…I couldn't fight it anymore."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Maggie said with a confused frown,

"It's in my blood, and can't shake this overwhelming sense of…hate…and anger."

"Oh come on…you're telling me that you've turned evil." Maggie scoffed, "Do you have any idea how much of a cliché that sou…" Her protest was cut short as her head was thrown to the side by Sam's fist, which came flying into her jaw. Spitting a mouthful of blood to the floor, Maggie slowly lifted her head, her eyes narrowed and watering from the pain,

"Do you believe me now." Sam said coldly a hint of regret in his voice, leaning on the arms of the chair his face inches away from Maggie's,

"No…I think you're a demon or a shape shifter or something, but you are NOT Sam."

Sam stepped back to the table; he bent down and hauled up the heavy green canvas bag,

"Where's Dean?" Maggie questioned, slightly disturbed that Sam had his brother's ammunition bag, but her younger brother stayed silent as he pulled out a silver flask, before turning back to his sister, with a small knife in the other hand he cut her left hand free,

"Here, if you're so sure that I'm possessed." Sam held out the silver canteen, Maggie tentatively took it, keeping her eyes on her brother; she tightened her grip around it as Sam held out his arms dramatically,

"Go on…I'm giving you a free shot here."

Without hesitation, Maggie threw the holy water at Sam's chest, expecting to see him fall to the floor in pain, panic set in as her older brother stood before her unscathed,

"See." Sam said softly,

Maggie grabbed at her other hand, frantically trying to untie the bindings, Sam moved forward grabbing her loose arm,

"Shhhh." Sam soothed, but this sound only disturbed his sister further, fear that her original theories where wrong, she tried desperately to push Sam away, only to have his grip tighten before he slammed it down onto the arm of the chair, once again restraining her with the course rope; her legs kicking to get away as he did so. But the more she struggled the tighter the rope was pulled, causing her to cringe as it dug into her skin.

"I'm sorry Maggie." Sam turned from his sister, her eyes burning into his back as he walked over to the large fireplace, "I really hate to do this…" He continued, picking up a rusting iron poker that lay on the floor before holding it in the fire twisting and rolling it in his hand as he did so, "I mean I like you…you're a little annoying at times…"

Maggie scowled at Sam as he turned away from the fire, but the look of distain soon turned to fear, her eyes widened as her brother walked towards her holding the now red hot poker, glowing red at the tip.

"All I ever hear is… oh woes me, Dean doesn't like me…Sam when is Dean going to accept me…your so understanding Sam." He mimicked, standing over Maggie in an intimidating stance, "You see all that time you thought I was sympathising with you…I was just humouring you." He continued bitterly, "Anything to get you to shut up."

"Sam please don't…" Maggie begged, her eyes fixed on the fierce looking metal rod that was being waved dangerously close to her skin,

"My god do you ever stop whining." Sam frowned, "Its always got to be about you hasn't it?" He growled, "Your not the only one that feels pain y'know." Without a second thought Sam pressed the hot iron onto Maggie's leg, the heat burning a hole in the thick denim, as the young hunter cried out in pain,

"I lost my mom, my girlfriend, my Dad…and pretty soon I could loose my brother!" He bellowed, shouting over his sister's yells of distress, "But even with this thing in my head…it all comes back to Maggie." Again the orange tinted rod pierced her skin, steam lifting from her thigh as it burned, "Sam STOP!" She begged, the pain unbearable,

"You right! Okay your right!" The twenty something female cried just as Sam was about to scorch her skin again, "I get it okay, I do…" She begged, tears staining her cheeks, leaving streaks through her dirt-covered face, "You're right it's about you! And it is about that tumor, that's why you're doing this…this isn't you…okay…you care about Dean you care about Lola you don't want to hurt us…" Maggie's voice cracked as she tried desperately to reason with her erratic brother, "You're sick Sam…just let us go and we can help you…please…" Her eyes looking strait into her brother's emerald greens, pleading with him to listen to her and end the torture he was putting her through. Finally Sam loosened his grip on the rusted iron, letting it fall to floor with a loud clang, Maggie closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief, but this sense of comfort didn't last for long. Sam lunged at her, wrapping his thick fingers around her neck, squeezing tightly, forcing all the air out of her,

"Sam." She wheezed, tears falling down her cheeks as she looked into Sam's cold eyes, "Please." She begged and finally for the first time in the past few painful hours, her big brother looked back, the loving sparkle returned to his emerald greens,

Sam loosened his grip, looking at his sister in horror and regret as she struggled for air. But this attack of consonance was short lived. With his hand clenched into a tight fist, Sam struck her across the face with the back of his hand, watching as Maggie's head snapped to the side then flopping down to her chest, her hair covering her now battered and bruised face.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

Breathing heavily Sam wiped the blood from his knuckles, before treading heavily out of the room.

Heading up the dusty stairs, the green duffle bag slung over his shoulder. Sam finally reached the landing; his dark brown boots trudged across the creaking floorboards. As he entered a small dark room, he walked up to a threadbare sofa, situated in the middle of the dank room. Sam threw the heavy bag onto the old piece of furniture, flying dust into the air as it landed onto the cushioned seat.

At that moment a low disgruntled moan came from the far end of the old room, Sam turned on his heals, carrying a small hand knife as he stalked over to his two captives,

Dean slowly opened his eyes, he tried to move but soon realized that his arms had been tied behind his back, a course rope wound tightly several times around his wrists. Cringing at the pain he felt in his neck, the muscles tightening as he turned his head to the side, "Lola."

The auburn haired hunter looked back at him, her bright blue orbs lost within the red circles around her eyes. Dean looked her up and down to find that she too had been bound to an old wooden chair, her jean clad legs tied against the front chair legs, her arms were pulled round to the back of her, only the course ropes were wound all the way around her torso making movement impossible,

"You okay?" Dean asked,

"Sorry…Lola can't talk right now." Sam cooed, bending down next to the hot-headed female, she looked at him with narrowed eyes, "She's been awake for quite a while, and I couldn't very well have her screaming the place down now could I." Sam stroked at the make shift gag, originally one of his white cotton t-shirts, Lola moved her head away from his reach as much she could,

"What are you doing Sam? Huh this isn't you." Dean said, looking at his brother with a frown of disbelief,

"That's exactly what Maggie said." He replied as he rose to his feet, walking slowly behind the two hunters,

"Where is she?" Dean asked, a sudden feeling of anger building inside,

"For someone that hated her so much, you're quite the protective big brother." Sam lent in close behind his brother, hissing in his ear.

"What have you done to her?" Dean asked again his tone low but stern,

"Why do you care? I'm your brother you should care about me, be worried about me!" Sam exclaimed,

"That's what this is about, you don't think I care about you? You're my brother Sam of course I care about you…"

"Oh really, did you care about me when you punched me in the face after Dad died." Sam spat, before drawing back a clenched fist and throwing it strait into Dean's face,

"Did you care about me all those times you sided with Dad when you knew he was in the wrong?" Youngest brother continued, landing another punch into his brother's eye, Dean's head fell back and forth, grunting in pain as Sam hit the top of his face again and again, Lola growled in anger and protest, all she could do was sit by and watch in horror, unable to move, unable to help Dean.

"For so many years I sat back and watched you two play the loving father and son, you always sided with him and he always sided with you." Sam grabbed onto the collar of Dean's shirt, looking him in the eye as she continued his bitter ramblings, "But that wasn't enough was it, you got his life, he saved you and what did I get…nothing…nothing but a warning that I was going to…turn evil." Sam's voice cracked with emotion, Dean looked up at his brother, trying to understand what was happening to him to make him say all these painful, hurtful things,

Sam looked back with tears of regret and confusion in his eyes, but with a deep frown he drew back his arm once again.

THUD, Sam's fist flew into Dean's jaw hard and fast, splitting his lip, a trickled of blood falling down his bruised chin, He glanced up at Sam, barely able to see through his now swollen eye, his face a bloodied mess. THUD, Sam's knuckles struck again, only this time, strait in the center of Dean's chest, causing him to cough and wheeze,

"SAM!" Lola cried, barely audible through the dirty white t-shirt that was wrapped tightly around her mouth, Bitter tears of anger welled in her eyes as she looked on helplessly from the chair she was bound to, rocking side to side, she tried desperately to break free and put an end to the inexplicable madness that was Sam's attack,

"Ooh Dean, you're feeling a little hot." Sam cooed his palm touching his brother's sweating brow, his fingers clinging roughly to his hair, "Too bad, Lola could have nursed you back to health, if she weren't…tied up."

"Sam…why are you doing this?" Dean rasped, his whole body shaking from a fever that had just begun to set in, his skin burning up as he tugged at the bindings on his arms and legs,

"You know you're a lucky man Dean." Sam began, ignoring his brother's question, toying with the silver knife he still had clutched in his hand, "You've got one hell of a woman here…" He continued, now looming over Lola menacingly, "I mean, no matter how much you know her back…" With a swing of his arm, Sam struck Lola across the face with the back of his hand. The female hunter remained silent as force of the blow, snapped her head to the side, her auburn curls sweeping across her cheeks with the sharp motion before she shook them back, looking Sam dead in the eye, breathing heavily through the pain. Dean's eyes widened with shock as he saw the red marks, Sam's fist had left on Lola's cheek,

"No matter what you do, she just follows you like a lost puppy…it'd be quite pathetic if I weren't so jealous." Sam straightened up, looking down at Lola with longing eyes as he stepped back towards Dean, "I had someone…someone I really loved, and she's gone because of you." The six foot tall hunter, pointed a harsh finger at his brother, hatred pouring through his gaze, "You don't deserve Lola…"  
"If you lay one more hand on her I swear to god." Dean warned through gritted teeth,

"You'll what? That's all you're good at isn't it Dean, throwing your weight around? But as soon as it comes to anything close to emotion, you loose it…like a scared little kid…it's pathetic." Sam hissed, as he moved back towards Lola, "You don't deserve love if you cant show it."

Turning on his heels, Sam moved over to the sofa, diving into the green bag of ammunition,

"What are you doing?" Dean's exclaimed as Sam turned around, opening the barrel of a small black revolver, emptying the bullets into the palm of his hand,

"I wonder..." He began, returning one single bullet into the barrel before spinning it round, and then with a flick of his wrist, clicked it shut. "…what would it take for you to realize that you loved her…what would it take for you to say it?" Sam cocked the small hand gun before taking aim at Lola's head, Her heart racing, panic setting in, Lola cringed as a an empty click, echoed through the room, A deadly game of Russian roulette had begun, and Sam was behind the trigger.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five:**

"SAM!" Dean yelled, his eyes widened with fear and disbelief,

"Are you man enough to say it now Dean?" Sam bellowed, pulling the trigger again, but no shot was fired, just another dull click sounded, causing Lola to hold her breath in anticipation, tears of terror welling in her eyes,

"Put the gun down NOW!" Dean ordered, looking at the terrified look on Lola's face,

"I told Jess I loved her every day, and she was still taken away from me.!"

"SAM STOP!"

BANG, A gunshot rang out in the cold night air,

Breathing heavily, warm tears fell down her cheeks, as Lola lifted her head, a bloody graze scarring her forehead where the bullet just missed having whipped her head out of the way, just barely in time. Swallowing hard, Dean looked at Lola with tears in his eyes, finding it hard to believe that she had quite literally dodged a bullet,

Sam let the gun drop to the floor, his whole body shaking as he realized what he had just done, "Lola…my god I'm so sorry." He whispered, lunging forward to take her face pale face in his hands, she pulled away, unable to look him in the eye,

"I'm sorry." He repeated, before knocking her out cold,

"You son of a bitch." Dean cursed with a deep frown, Sam stood before his brother, his heart torn by his older brother's look of utter disgust, He planted a fist into Dean's cheek, the elder hunter's head falling back in unconsciousness.

Rubbing at her wrists, her skin red raw from where the rope had been, Maggie scanned the room, looking for Sam, but she was alone, a soft glow of moonlight hung low in the dark blue sky, its eerie light seeping through the wooden slats of the abandoned house. The house it seemed had been lived in but by the way the furniture had been turned over and dust covered it was plain to see that it had not been used for some time. Maggie rose from the chair, cringing as she did so, the stinging pain from where Sam had burnt her leg still very much intense, the floorboards creaked under her feet as she crept towards the staircase. As she put her black converse to the floor, she felt it press down on something hard, lifting her toe, she found Lola's angel wings lying on the floor. Maggie bent down and scooped up the white gold pendant in her bruised hand, She let the broken chain fall slightly letting the wings swing loosely. The silver moonlight shone on the wings, showing up a smudge of blood on the tips, "Dean" She breathed, recalling the day he had kept Lola's wings when she died, he had worn them ever since, never taking them off. Maggie glanced up the flight of stairs before ascending the rotting wood, Once at the top, she noted a broken pipe which lay on the floor before picking it up, clinging onto it tightly, the closest thing she had to a weapon,

Holding the rusted pipe at shoulders height, Maggie's eyes darted back and forth in every direction, staying alert so as not to be caught off guard. A few steps away, she came to a molding wooded door, its paint chipped and pealing, she pushed it open with the tip of her trainer, keeping a tight grip on the brass tube, slowly stepping in. She looked to one dark corner of the room, much to her relief it was clear. But when she turned to the other direction her heart jumped up to her mouth, "Dean!" She exclaimed, rushing to her brother's side, but she froze with horror when she saw his bloodied face, His left eye swollen and red, an ugly yellow-grey bruise lined the edge of his jaw lines of blood trickling form his hair line, eyebrow and another running from his lips,

"Dean…Dean can you hear me?" Maggie gently lifted his battered face away from his shoulder, cringing at the touch of his burning hot skin, the blood staining her fingers as she felt for a pulse,

"Oh I can't decide whether you should live or die…"

Maggie snapped her head round, hearing Sam's voice coming from outside the door, She quickly ducked behind the large tattered sofa, keeping absolutely still, swallowing hard as she heard her brother's heavy footsteps enter the room.

"Wake up Maggie I think I've got something to SAY to you!" Sam hissed his tune as he pulled at the top of his sister's head, yanking her up from behind the sofa by her hair,

Growling in pain, she stumbled up and over the back of the faded piece of furniture, landing hard on her coccyx, causing her to choke on the musty air, Propping herself up on her elbows, Maggie looked up at Sam, his eyes blood shot and circled by a dark colour of fatigue, "Why are you doing this?" She asked, her voice in a low rasp, coughing on the dust, which her fall had kicked up,

"So I could convince you to do something for me." Sam answered softly,

"Do what?" She replied with a frown of confusion,

Sam pulled out Dean's silver hand gun with its pearl like grip, and tossed it down at Maggie's chest,

"No…no way." She refused flat out, picking up the gun by its barrel, holding it out to her brother,

"I don't want to do this anymore, I cant fight anymore….I just want it to end…please." Sam begged, his voice quivering with emotion,

"No."

"Do it." Sam ordered, pulling his own gun fro the back of his jeans, holding it to Maggie's head,

"No Sam." Maggie replied, her eyes bleary with tears, as she looked strait into her brother's emerald greens,

Breathing heavily with irritation, Sam cocked his gun and took aim at the back of Dean's head, still hanging low unconsciously, "Shoot me!"

"NO!"

Sam shifted from one foot to the other, anger welling inside, looking at his sister with furious eyes, Maggie looked back her hazel browns defiant and stern,

"Damn it!" Sam bellowed through gritted teeth sending his gun crashing through the dusty window before storming out of the room.

With a grunt, Dean rolled his head to the left, cringing in discomfort as he did so, He opened his eyes, his furrowing his brow looking out across the dirty floor as he scanned the room he came across Maggie, sat in the corner, her legs pulled up to her chest. Seeing that her brother was awake she rose to her feet, moving over to the chair in which Dean had been sat since she found him,

"Are you okay?" The oldest sibling croaked, his head pounding, as he glanced to his left, "Lola…where's Lola?" Dean's eyes widened with panic as he looked over at the empty chair where the auburn haired hunter had been sitting,

"Maggie!" Dean snapped his sister out of her fearful daze,

"I haven't seen her anywhere Dean, I don't know where she is."

"Where's Sam?" He asked though gritted teeth, every muscle in his body tightening as he stood up, breathing heavily still shaking with a sweat that moistened his forehead, his temperature still high with a fever,

"Downstairs…" Maggie replied, wrapping her arm around Dean's waist to steady him as they stumbled towards the stairs,

Fastening a thick rope around Sam's legs, Dean looked up at his brother with angry eyes, his face like thunder;

"Where is she, Sam?" He asked sternly, rising to his feet. Sam remained silent, gazing down at the dusty floor, "Sam! Look at me! Where is Lola?" Dean snapped, raising his voice, looming over his brother,

"I'll go and have another look upstairs…" Maggie offered, her voice low and calm as she made her way up to the second floor, leaving Dean and Sam in a silent standoff.

Maggie stepped into a small room, a large four-poster bed dominating the dreary space. Beside the bed sat an old dressing table complete with cracked mirror, it's drawers hanging limply from their runners. Seeing the rotting doorway leading to the en-suite bathroom Maggie came to the conclusion that despite it's size, this had once been the master bedroom. Shining her flashlight into all four corners of the damp-smelling room, she found nothing. She dropped to the dusty floor, peering under the large mahogany bed, the quality wood spoilt by termites and the decay of time. Satisfied that the space was clear, Maggie jumped to her feet. As she looked down at her jeans, dusting the dirt off, she caught a glimpse of something glossy and red. Bending down, Maggie swiped her fingertip through the sticky substance rubbing it between her thumb and forefinger. To her horror, she realized that it was blood. As she lifted her eyes, she caught sight of a path-like trail leading to a large, ornate wardrobe, crammed between the wall and bed. Maggie yanked at a thick chain that was wrapped around the decorative metal handles, fastened with a chubby padlock. Her eyes darted around the room, for something with which to break the lock. Finally spotting a small rock, laying at the bottom of a smashed window, Maggie grabbed at it with both hands before heaving it against the steel chain with all of her strength. With a dull thud, the lock fell to the floor, bringing with it one of the metal handles. Hastily Maggie threw open the door of the wardrobe, "Oh my God…" She breathed, looking up at the weak, blue-eyed hunter, her auburn curls a knotted mess, falling either side of her bruised cheeks, "DEAN!" Maggie yelled as she clawed at the thick rope tied around Lola's wrists, her arms held above her head, hanging from the wooden railing,

"Get me out of here…" She croaked after Maggie pulled away the dark grey material from her mouth.

Dean ran up the stairs, two at a time upon hearing his sister's cry, a small hand-knife held in his hand as he blasted into the dark bedroom. His eyes widened as he raced over to the wardrobe, sawing at the course rope. With a snap, Lola's hands were finally cut free. Groaning through gritted teeth, she clung onto Dean's shirt as he and Maggie wrapped their arms around the frail hunter,

"You okay?" Dean asked, placing her on the soft mattress before taking her face gently in his hands as he crouched down, their faces level,

"Yeah…I'm fine…" She coughed, "Where's Sam?"

"Dean tied him up downstairs." Maggie informed, rubbing at her stiff neck,

"Good. Excuse me while I go and have a little chat with our Sammy." Lola smirked sarcastically, cringing as she rose from the bed.

The hotheaded hunter entered the room with a slight limp, although her presence was as strong as ever. She glared at Sam, his hands and feet tied behind him as he looked up at Lola with blood-shot eyes from his position, kneeling on the floor,

"This, Sammy…is an intervention…" She began, circling the six foot five hunter, her tone low with a hint of dry sarcasm. Stopping behind him, she lowered herself to Sam's ear; "…and while I'd like to say this is a safe space, after the mood you put me in, I can't guarantee it." Lola smirked before straitening up again, "We ARE going to take you to see my friend and we ARE going to get the old Sam back…" She continued, standing before him, holding his gaze, "…because this Sam who seems intent on killing the people that care about him, has got to go." Lola said firmly, looking up to see Dean standing in the doorway, hands behind his back. He stepped across the room quietly, producing a chloroform-soaked gag. Whipping it over Sam's head, he secured it with a knot at the back,

"Sorry Sammy…" He soothed as the taller hunter struggled for a few seconds before slumping forwards. Lola caught him as he fell, gently resting his head against her shoulder. Maggie snatched up the green ammunition bag as Dean hoisted Sam up onto his shoulders in a fireman's carry, before following the boys and Lola out of the door, glad to be putting the shack of a house behind her.

Slowly opening his eyes with a grunt of discomfort, Sam eased himself into consciousness, sitting up in the unfamiliar room. A cool breeze drifted down from a circular ceiling fan over head as Sam turned to regard Maggie who was slumped asleep at his bedside,

"Hey…" He murmured, "What the hell happened?" He asked as he noticed the cuts and bruises covering his little sister's face and body. A door opened across the room and in stepped a middle aged man with a shaved head and narrow brown eyes,

"You're awake!" He beamed, moving quickly to Sam's side, "How're you feeling?"

"Fine…" Sam answered warily,

"Good…"

"No offence, but who are you?"

"Doctor Jerry Walters." He smiled, extending a hand. Sam took the 'doctor's' hand dubiously, eyeing his blue and white Hawaiian shirt. Spying Sam's skeptical look, Jerry chuckled, "Yes…I'm not your conventional doctor…I'm a friend of Lola's."

"Where am I?"

"You're at my private clinic in Iowa. You were sick; Sam and your family brought you to me. You were in the final stages of a inoperable brain tumor."

"Yeah…I know…"

"Well I'm happy to say that you're not anymore."

"What…what happened to my sister?" Sam asked, looking down at Maggie with concern,

"Well it's not for me to say…but I can tell you that the advanced stage of your tumor brought on signs of paranoid schizophrenia."

"Oh God, I didn't…" He muttered in horror. Jerry smiled reassuringly before backing up, "I'm just going to check on your brother and when you're a bit more awake, we'll take you through your scans."

"Oh lord…what did I do to him?" Sam panicked,

"Relax Sam…" Came a voice from the doorway where Lola stood, arms crossed, leaning against the frame, "He's got a nasty flu virus…but of course, according to him…he's dying."

Sam smiled faintly as Lola stepped into the well-lit room, his grin soon falling from his face at the sight of the young hunter, a blister-like scar marring her skin just below the hairline. She brushed back a few strands of hair behind her ear, revealing an angry, dark-purple bruise stretching across the expanse of her right cheek,

"Oh God, Lola…whatever it was I did…"

"Please Sam," She cut him off, "I'd rather just forget about it."

"Lola…I don't know what happened, please…tell me…" He pleaded,

"Well Maggie hasn't exactly been forth coming about what you did to her, but you sure beat the crap out of your brother and me."

Sam looked down sadly, seeing his arms and the scratches that covered them. He swallowed hard, raising tearful eyes back to her face,

"I'm so sorry…" He whispered, tears welling in his eyes. Lola smiled weakly back at him,

"I know it wasn't you Sam…"

At that point, Jerry returned brandishing an x-ray film, holding it up to the light,

"Well, good news!" He declared, "I've just taken a look at your second round of scans and there are no signs of the tumor. You appear to be completely healed. For those who didn't know any better, it's as if you never had one."

"How does that work? I wasn't conscious to be able to believe…"

"Well, a little known fact about hoodoo is that sometimes it takes the belief of others to get you through the harshest of winters." Jerry said knowledgably, "Your family believed in you enough to heal you, Sam." He smiled, "I'll pop back to check on you this evening."

"Thank you." Lola said with a appreciative smile, placing a hand on her old friend's arm. He smiled back with a nod before excusing himself. Lola walked slowly round to the side of the bed, gently touching Maggie on the back. The brunette sat up with a start, her arms flying defensively around her head, a small squeak of surprise escaping her lips,

"Sam…you're awake…"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah…" She breathed awkwardly, avoiding his gaze to look at Lola, "How's Dean?"

"You know your brother…" She drawled, "One sneeze and the world comes to an end!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms up into the air dramatically, rising from the bed tentatively, she limped back towards the door, "I'd better go and see if he's woken up yet…"

"I'll join you." Maggie said, standing up, cringing as the denim of her jeans rubbed against the sore burns scars on her thigh,

"Maggie…wait…" Sam said softly. Lola looked between the two siblings awkwardly before slipping out discreetly,

"I'm sorry."

"Sam…I'm probably not the first to say this to you and I'm sure I wont be the last, it wasn't your fault, none of it was." Maggie replied, looking at her brother with reassuring eyes, Sam shook his head defiantly, unable to feel anything but overwhelming guilt,

"If you had left me alone with Dean, then I would have kicked your ass." She joked, "I'm just glad to have my brother back, fighting fit." Maggie wrapped her arms around Sam's six foot five frame, pulling him into a hug.

ACHEW!

Lola from could hear Dean's sneeze down the hall long before she reached his room. She walked in on the older hunter who was stretched, reaching across the room for the tissue box on the dresser beside the bed, struggling to reach the cardboard container. Upon seeing her enter, he collapsed back into his bed,

"Lola…" He whimpered, "Can you get me a tissue…?"

"You have got to be joking me."

"I'm sick…" He mumbled, nasally and congested,

"Ugh…you're pathetic…" She huffed, shaking her head as she grabbed the tissue box, dumping it down into his blanket-clad lap, "Sam's awake."

Dean looked up at her in shock, his face swollen and bruised,

"How is he?"

"Well he doesn't remember a thing…" She sighed, settling on the edge of Dean's bed, "Seems pretty disturbed and scared by the whole thing."

"I've got to see him." Dean muttered, whipping the covers off of his body to get out of bed,

"Don't you dare!" She scolded, "Stay where you are, I will bring him to you when he's ready. You are not to leave this bed. Do you understand?"

Dean sulked, the pair falling into an awkward silence. Suddenly, Maggie appeared, walking cautiously into the room,

"Someone to see you." She said quietly, walking to the far side of the room as Sam entered in his clinic-issue pyjamas. Sam's saddened green eyes fell upon his brother, his face a black and blue mess, a huge, apple-shaped bruise in the centre of his bare chest, beaded with sweat from the fever,

"Dean…" Sam murmured, his watery eyes quivering with emotion, "Dean…I…"

"Don't worry about it buddy…" Dean reassured, "It wasn't you. We know it wasn't you. It's fine."

"As much as I've enjoyed having you here, I don't want to be seeing you guys any time soon." Jerry smiled, wrapping one arm around Lola's shoulders, the other hand raised, pointing at Sam, "Thanks for everything Jerry." The brunet smiled, tossing his bag into the back seat of the Impala,

"I don't know…the way I'm feeling I might be back for some more magic remedies." Dean mumbled, standing at the back of the car, his arms wrapped around himself, sheltering from the cold.

"Oh good grief." Maggie rolled her eyes as her brother's over dramatic complaints as she slipped into back passenger seat,

"See you Jerry." Lola smiled, giving a sharp wave as she sat down in the driver's seat,

"What are you doing?" Dean asked with a confused frown,

"If you are too sick to dress yourself then you're too sick to drive." She replied, turning the key in the ignition. With a disgruntled moan, a congested Dean fell into the car, sliding on his dark sunglasses, slouching back in the seat, falling asleep within seconds.

"You guys take care of each other." The shaven haired doctor said with a smile, looking down at the group of twenty-somethings,

"We will." Maggie replied with a nod, just as AC/DC's 'Back in black' began to play full blast. With a low rumble, the Impala pulled away down the dirt gravel drive, leaving Jerry behind, waving after its four passengers.


End file.
